Beijing Ice and Snow Festival Attracts Tourists

During the three-day New Year holiday, the retail sales of 60 trading and service enterprises being monitored by Beijing reached 2.67 billion yuan (US$411.4 million), an increase of 10.5 percent than the same period of last year, according to the data released by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce on Jan. 1.

The Beijing New Year's Promotion Festival, organized by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce, focused on quality consumption and optimized the supply of goods. During the festival, nearly 100 brand-name enterprises, including leading e-commerce, brand-name supermarkets, time-honored brands, self-service convenience stores, cross-border e-commerce experience stores, shared travel platforms and ski resorts, jointly carried out the promotion online and offline and provided high-quality supply for the customers.

The Ice and Snow Festival, joined by the Beijing Ski Association and several ski resorts and outdoor products enterprises, attracted many Beijing residents and tourists. The festival helped to spread the Winter Olympics culture and promoted the snow and ice sports products, according to the Commission of Commerce.

The ski resorts in Huairou, Pinggu and Miyun districts were packed with enthusiasts throughout the holiday. The Ice and Snow Festivals held in the Bird's Nest stadium, the Taoranting Park and the Chaoyang Park in downtown Beijing also attracted many residents to enjoy the sport of skiing. The Commission of Commerce said as people's enthusiasm for Winter Olympics sports increases, winter sports are expected to be a new consumption hotspot.

The data also showed the occupancy rate of dining suites at time-honored brand restaurants in Beijing reached 90 percent, and their main consumer base were now those born in the 1980s and 1990s. The takeout and online delivery business of many restaurants also flourished during the holiday.

Meanwhile, brick and mortar retailers launched special discounts and promotions to boost sales over the holiday, with some reporting a 20 percent increase in sales over the time period.